Griffins end long road trip with loss to Houston

HOUSTON -- A torrid goaltender kept the Grand Rapids Griffins from a winning record on the team’s longest road trip of the season.

The Griffins had numerous chances early, but still lost to the Houston Aeros 3-1 on Sunday at the Toyota Center.

Aeros goaltender Dennis Endras stopped 31 shots, including 26 in the first two periods, to deal the Griffins a third loss in their five-game road trip that ended Sunday. The loss dropped Grand Rapids to 3-4 overall.

Endras, who lowered his goals-against average to 1.53, won his first game of the season in two starts. Endras had not played since his first start of the year Oct. 16.

Grand Rapids had a chance for a winning road trip before Houston got third-period goals by Kris Foucault and David McIntyre to snap a 1-1 tie. Foucault’s came 59 seconds into the period.

Newcomer Andrej Nestrasil was a bright spot for Grand Rapids. He played sparingly in his first game Friday, then scored a goal and added an assist in Saturday’s 3-2 shootout win against Oklahoma City.